POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE
They Will Smell Your Fear
By Nandy Ekle
One of my friends was taking a poll. She asked everyone which they preferred, a story written in first person or a story written in third person. Of course, the numbers were pretty even on both sides of the question because this is a personal preference.
But I started thinking. There are definite advantages and disadvantages to those Points of View (POVs). I can enjoy a good story no matter what the POV is, if it’s done right. With first person, the goal is to be more connected to the main character, and therefore the reader will be more connected. The disadvantage is you can only have the one view point. If you are the main character, you are restricted to your own head. And these two rules are the opposite for third person: you can see through lots of eyes, but because of that, you don’t have time to connect as deeply with the main character.
So what was my answer to my friend’s survey? I told her to write in the POV she was most comfortable with. If you’re connected with your characters and you’re comfortable with them, it will show up in the way you tell the story. This will make your readers connected and comfortable with them. If you’re not comfortable, that will also show up in your writing. The readers will definitely know that too.
Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.
Outtakes 189
Characters and Conflict
By Cait Collins
Setting up conflict in a story can be tricky. A writer who is not in tune with the various idiosyncrasies of his characters may have difficulty in creating the tension needed to craft plausible conflict. The story is not the incident; it’s in the characteristics of the people involved. Human resources and training department employ personality profiles to help determine the traits that each team member possesses. Knowing the personality types for a team enables managers to better assign tasks and manage a group.
For example, two co-workers have a difference of opinion regarding the best way to handle the upper management directive to set up a data base to track expenditures for the past ten years. The information pertains to the sales department, the tax department, and the advertising department. One of the people charged with the task is methodical; compiling the necessary information with attention to detail.
A second worker approaches the job in a helter skelter manner. There’s no organization or precision in the work. Errors are abundant. It’s impossible for the data to correlate with the more methodical worker’s.
A third person, the peace maker, tries to help out. Instead of getting involved with the project, the team member keeps looking for a “we are friends” moment. Everyone must get along he or she insists. By trying to force peace, the other co-workers become more stressed and less productive. The project stalls and management gets involved.
This is your assignment. Write the confrontation between the three co-workers and the managers.
Stay on Course
By Rory C. Keel
In writing, most authors have a general direction for their story. However, a story will often veer off course and become confusing. While it is understood that part of the story is developed during the writing, subplots or irrelevant information should not take over and distract from the main story.
Causes that often affect the writer
While the writer needs to allow flexibility for background and characters to develop, these things give fullness to the story and shouldn’t drive the direction of the story.
The good story divergence is the one that causes a change but still holds within the original framework of the story. The bad story divergence jumps out of the frame and pulls the story off course.
Characterization
By Natalie Bright
Creating well-rounded, believable characters.
During a snowy, lazy day of watching The Big Bang Theory marathon, I started thinking about the complex dynamics of characterization. The character traits go deep in this sitcom and play off this group of friends to compliment, define, and often times clash with each other.
Profiles
I began to write down the character profiles from the television show. This reminded me that well-rounded characters have good traits and bad traits, just like real people. There’s some things we really love about our BFFs, but there are other things that make us cringe. Real people are complicated. Folks have good qualities and bad qualities. They have issues from multifaceted pasts, or habits based on where they spent their childhoods.
Think about this: Real people have deep, dark secrets.
The way to avoid boring, cardboard characters is to make our fictional characters complicated too.
Character Study
Sheldon Cooper: often times seems very rude
Inappropriate, no filter for what he says
Whiney, immature
We love him because: his endearing quality of a child-like innocence. He trusts his friends, does what his mother says, and loves his MeMaw. She calls him Moonpie because he’s yummy, yummy and she could just eat him up.
I think the characters of The Big Bang Theory are likeable because we can recognize in them the people that we know in real life. For a television series these recognizable traits are taken to the extreme to create believable fictional characters.
Heroes are not absolutely perfect. Give them a physical limitation, deep-burning issues from a past experience, or a personality mannerism that’s far from impeccable.
Villains aren’t all bad. Give them a loveable quality that readers can relate too, but take it to the extreme. Make them leap off the pages of your story. This past weekend I watched Silence of the Lambs again. I had forgotten how powerful that movie is. What makes us like Hannibal Lector? Why are we glad that he escaped prison?
Secrets: your characters must have a few secrets. Whether or not to reveal those secrets in your story is up to you.
Writing Exercise: Profile characters from your favorite TV show or movie.
POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE
My Dear Mr. Murphy
By Nandy Ekle
First of all, I want you to peek in the window of this house. The owner is in his bed sleeping. He’s still and quiet, not even snoring. We’ll stand here for, oh, about a hundred pages and watch. Everything stays peaceful. His robe is hanging on the hook and the only thing on the floor is the dog, which also does not move a muscle. No sounds, no action, no chaos.
Now let’s go to the house next door. Look in that window and what do you see? Well the owner seems to be getting into bed. The bed is all ruffled, which means he’s been in bed and gotten up. His robe is in a heap on the floor at the foot as if he tried to toss it on the chair and missed. The dog is standing on four feet turning circles like, maybe, he’s been outside and come back in. We hear kids crying upstairs and the lady of the house stomps into the room with a scowl on her face and a wooden spoon in her hand. Her robe falls off her shoulders in a pile and she stomps past it. They both pull the covers up to their chins and he turns out the light.
We’ll stand here a few pages more and listen to them snore. Then we hear a phone ring, the dog barks, and childish laughter peals from the upper floor. Mr. and Mrs. both turn on their lights and roll out of bed. They reach for their robes and don’t find them. The dog jumps around wagging his tail as the two adults stumble to the foot of the bed and bump into each other while searching. He goes for the phone, which has rung two more times and she gets the wooden spoon and heads out the door; the dog jumps in the bed and immediately lays down and goes to sleep.
Which one of these homeowners is the most peaceful? Which one the most interesting? While peace, order and serenity may be wonderful in real life, your story needs conflict to be interesting.
Mr. Murphy has the perfect formula for story writing: Anything that can go wrong, will.”
Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.
Outtakes 188
Reunion
by Cait Collins
I’ve been fortunate to be associated with some very talented writers. Many are still trying for the big break, but they continue to work at their craft. Because of schedules, new places in our writing careers, or new locations, we don’t often see each other. It’s sad, but that’s the way of life. Recently we lost one of the talented writers.
I didn’t know DeWanna Pace as well as many of the writers and published authors in the Amarillo, Texas region. My association with her was limited to conferences and writer’s meetings, but I always believed there was something very special about her. She had this way of making you feel important. When she was talking with you, you were the only person in the room with her. She focused on the conversation and listened. Really listened.
DeWanna was unfailingly kind. She put other people first. I remember the day I was released from the hospital and found DeWanna sitting off to the side in the entry. I stopped to speak with her and learned her mother was being admitted. I asked if there was anything I could do. All she wanted was prayers. In return, she asked if I was visiting someone. I explained I had just been released. She offered to help me. If I needed anything all I had to do was call. Her own plate was full and yet she was concerned about me.
She was a great teacher. When she presented classes at writers’ conferences, her sessions were always well attended. She encouraged young writers. Even though her health was not the best, she kept her commitment to speak at the last writers’ conference held in Amarillo. It was important to her to pass on what she had learned.
This past Saturday, we celebrated the release of DeWanna’s latest book, The Daddy List, at a reception at Barnes and Noble. There was no book signing; just a meeting of people who had been touched by her generosity and talent. I found myself hugging my fellow writers and catching up on their lives and work. The passing of years did not matter; we were writers honoring one of our own. I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon.
Stay on Course
By Rory C. Keel
In writing, most authors have a general direction for their story. However, a story will often veer off course and become confusing. While it is understood that part of the story is developed during the writing, subplots or irrelevant information should not take over and distract from the main story.
Causes that often affect the writer
While the writer needs to allow flexibility for background and characters to develop, these things give fullness to the story and shouldn’t drive the direction of the story.
The good story divergence is the one that causes a change but still holds within the original framework of the story. The bad story divergence jumps out of the frame and pulls the story off course.
Wordsmith Six 